Tthere’s a constant flow of surprises and excellence packed into this RPG. Everything is set at such a high caliber that the negligible flaws and inconsistencies come across as much larger blemishes than in most games, but they can’t tarnish the overall experience.

Brawl is average if you intend to play it by yourself. As a multiplayer game, it nears perfection. Though the subspace emissary is a disappointment, the fast-paced fighting, bountiful modes and customization options, and a deep set of hidden content to be unearthed give it staying power that few other games possess.

The new guitar is cool, the new songs are amusing, there’s downloadable treats on the way, and the game itself is hours and hours of fun, even though you always feel a lot cooler than you look. With that said, the lack of online play is a huge disappointment and a glaring example of missed opportunity.

It’s absolutely relentless in its assault on the senses and never lets up until the last trigger has been squeezed. The multiplayer is even better, with the perks and weapon upgrades acting as a balance to the lack of vehicles.

The elastic story provides plenty of incentive to replay the campaign, the strikeforce levels aren't executed perfectly, but they're a glimpse at the future, and the multiplayer features are tweaked to make every play style relevant and to level the playing field. It does so many new things so very well, making it the most groundbreaking Call of Duty since the first Modern Warfare. Shooters simply don't get much more deep, varied, surprising, or rewarding than this.

The revamped controls result in the best Killzone experience yet, and the thoughtfully-conceived multiplayer elements will keep you in the game until you've maxed out and mastered its finer points. Killzone hasn't forgotten its roots--it's just improved its fundamentals in every way that matters.

Fluid combat, well-designed levels, and boss battles that will remind you precisely why you love the series in the first place make Ready at Dawn's second entry in the series a God among portable games.

Darkly decadent as one of its sadistic X-ray moves, the new and improved Mortal Kombat emerges as an impressively realized reboot that elevates the series to a new plateau of excellence. If your interest in Mortal Kombat has remained in stasis until now, unfreeze your expectations and take a dip in the dark side. You will that find ripping someone's head off is a lot more fun than you originally remembered.

It’s absolutely relentless in its assault on the senses and never lets up until the last trigger has been squeezed. The multiplayer is even better, with the perks and weapon upgrades acting as a balance to the lack of vehicles.

A fantastic experience that's sure to make new fans with innovative new multiplayer options that give players plenty of room to experiment and find their niche. There are moments in every act of the campaign that would serve as grand finales in most other games, and it's done so well that it will make you want to play through the whole series all over again.

BioShock Infinite is both art-house and grindhouse, managing to offer something for everyone. There’s drama, philosophy, and shocking violence, then there’s combat, abilities, and gear -- there’s even numerically quantified damage for the stat-obsessed. It’s enhanced by thoughtful plotting and great characters and wrapped up in a beautiful world and calamitous physics. Heady and bloody, it’s a tesseract worth tackling, and even if you can see its seams from time to time, its ambition cannot be denied.

It’s absolutely relentless in its assault on the senses and never lets up until the last trigger has been squeezed. The multiplayer is even better, with the perks and weapon upgrades acting as a balance to the lack of vehicles.

The Witcher 2 is bold, inspired, and not afraid to take some risks, but neither does it work overly hard to endear itself to less patient players. In the end, though, it's a no-brainer of a deal. This standout RPG is among the best in years, and one that simply begs for multiple playthroughs. If you have any sort of affection for this sort of game, you can't afford to miss it.

For what you’re paying, you’d expect this expansion to have one-sixth the content of the original game, but it strays far from delivering on this assumption. Still, if you’re desperate for more to do, letting the Knights of the Nine rest in peace has its short-lived rewards.

Retribution makes the most of the hardware, works around the system’s limitations, and features a solid campaign with lots of incentive for replay. In terms of pure enjoyment, Retribution goes toe-to-toe with its big brothers on the PlayStation 3, and it’s a must-play for fans of the series or those who are looking for a great shooter for the road.

Civilization V is a brilliant expression of the turn-based strategy game by the undisputed masters of the form. It's a great entry point for newcomers, and veterans will delight in all the wrinkles and refinements.

If you’re looking for "God of War 3," you’ll be disappointed, but everyone else should be happy to be playing one of the best looking, playing, and designed handheld games ever. This is the top shelf of gaming on the go.

Every haunted room seems to breathe with an inventive charm and delicate attention to detail that make this game one of the best reasons to own a 3DS. Catching ghosts is a rewarding occupation, and the vast amount of hidden collectables could have you fighting to exorcise your inner completionist. With the addition an unexpectedly inventive and enjoyable multiplayer experience, 3DS owners will be hard-pressed not to cut Luigi just a little more respect.

Arkham City feels like a logical extension of its predecessor, wholly embracing and expanding upon all the elements that made it great. It most certainly is the definitive Batman game, but to leave it there would be to damn it with faint praise. Simply put, if you admire painstakingly-realized worlds rich with secrets and game mechanics that never cease to surprise you, then you it to yourself to experience Arkham City. Your interest in the source material is irrelevant.

Persona 4 is a well-crafted game dense with content that achieves a compelling balance between traditional RPG dungeon crawling and, shockingly, what can actually be considered role-playing. In its 60-plus hours you’ll experience a tight, well-structured story, and the liberty to freely develop characters and progress at your own discretion.

The total amount of worthwhile content makes paying full price for most other games feel like a crime. Treyarch has closed the gap between its games and the Modern Warfare franchise with boundless customization, a keen sense of what makes the formula a success, and listening to fans. You won't regret answering the call once again.